Rochester Man is Now Competent to Face Attempted Murder Charge

Owatonna, MN (KROC-AM News) - A Rochester man’s mental state has apparently improved enough that a judge in Steele County has ruled he is now competent to stand trial on charges stemming from a near-fatal attack on his ex-girlfriend in Owatonna.

34-year-old Ron Jaeger was charged with second-degree attempted murder and first-degree assault following the knife assault on June 1st of last year. In February, the criminal proceedings were put on hold after the judge handling the case deemed him incompetent. A hearing is now being scheduled to set a timetable for the case to proceed.

The criminal complaint against Jaeger alleges he stabbed his ex-girlfriend 8 times in an attack that nearly caused her death due to the loss of blood and damage to her internal organs. Owatonna police were able to speak to her before she was transported to St. Marys Hospital and she identified Jaeger as her attacker. He was later caught driving the victim’s pickup truck in Dodge County and the criminal complaint indicates investigators found a knife and blood inside the vehicle.

Jaeger is currently being held in the Steele County Jail with is conditional bail set at $500,000.